The Times op-ed explores research that supports the integration of schools as effectively raising educational levels and living standards.

In the study highlighted by the New York Times, Persico and co-authors C. Kirabo Jackson and Rucker C. Johnson found that "a 10 percent increase in per-pupil spending each year for all 12 years of public school leads to 0.27 more completed years of education, 7.25 percent higher wages, and a 3.67 percentage-point reduction in the annual incidence of adult poverty; effects are much more pronounced for children from low-income families."

The Times op-ed continues to examine how issues in funding and segregation in schools contribute to racial disparities and the achievement gap.